The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-09
THEY WANT PALMER PREACHING.
Ben Hogan Says Ignorant Sinners Can't I'm
derstand Scholarly Sermons on Scripture.

There were not many vacant seats at Ben
Hogan's revival meeting, in YIN. C. A. Hall,
last night. AS on previous nights. there were
not many church going people present, acd the
audience was one from the street All yester-
day afternoon the revivalist went among the
loafng places of the idlers, distributing his nvi-
tation cards, and many were drawd TO the hall
through a personal invitation. Through the
efforts of the Y. NJ. G. A people an organist and
a corner-player were procured. and the music
furnished put more spirit into the meeting.
Lieutenant Lavery opened the meeting with q
brief talk. after which Mr.. Hogan spoke, taking
for his text the declaration of PAUL. II do this
for the gospels sake" He said he was willing
to go anywhere to save a sinner. He was not
doing the work for Standardization. There are
too many people working for self-gloridcafio n. !"
said be, ''and they are all losing power. After
/ was converted, the first sermon heard was in
Presbyterian church. There was some of il
understood, but the greater part OF 1t did not
The people want to hear preaching they can
understand. Many men como to me and say, L
like TO hear you talk. because can understand
what you say Preachers win quote passage
OF Scripture. and then expound it. Now, have
discovered that the great masses do not know
much about the Scripture OF one thousand
persons I meet, eight hundred know little or
nothing about the Bible. These people must be
taught to read the Bible, or the downfall OF our
nation will come. To get them interested in
the great DOOR, We must Talk with tuefn IN
simpie language, and not preach to them classic
sermons they cannot understand. Sin often
comes through ignorance. sometimes think it
is not strange that we have so many people who
know so little about the Bible when we have SO
many foreigners who cannot under
stand English. believe would
l had been started the right road. My father
said / should go to a German school and study
German exclusively. l wanted to learn English,
and when he wouldn't let me / ran away from
home, and went to the bad. There are plenty of
there are but few places where foreigners may
go and hear the gospel preaehedf They want
some place to go to, and consequently they 90
to the saloon and the rambling house You
talk about the German Sabbath breakers, but
you don't stop to think that there are not two
evan CYCLISTS in America who working anon g
the Germans. Millions of dollars being paid
into foreign missions, but the Immigrants in
America are allowed to 60 uucared for. / tell
you il is the masses that need to be reached. A
young man wants to be q preacher and goes
sthrSdgh college. He comes out, and reads and
studies. and thinks. He goes higher and higher,
and soon the poor, ignorant sinner is forgotten.
He breaches excellent sermons. but there
that do not understand him. I am not here to
condemn ministers. but do think they should
get nearer the people"
In his closing remarks Mr.. Hogan said that
quite number of men he had met on the street
said they could not come to his meeting because
they did not have fit clothes to wear. II want
no man TO stay away account of his dress, I"
said he. GAS long as hold meetings in this hall
the poorest-dressed man will be as welcome as
the one most richly clothed" He will hold no
service tonight on account of the concert that
takes place in the hall Tomorrow NIGHT he
will preach and on Sunday he will hold services
in the afternoon and evening. The afternoon
meeting will be for men only.